Glare shield



March 4 1947. L. R. LE LANDE 2,416,761

GLARE SHIELD Filed Jan. 19, 1944 7 7 INVENTOR. /0 .54m $60 244;

ATTORNEY- Patented Mar. 4, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,416,761 I GLARE SHIELD Lester R. Le Lande, Pasadena, Tex. Application January 19, 1944, Serial No. 518,824

2 Claims. (01. 29697) I My invention relates to devices used on motor vehicles to subdue the glare of light from other sources, for the driver of the Vehicle provided with the device; and more particularly to such devices of the kind in which there is interposed between the drivers eyes and the place of approach of vehicles having the glaring lights, a transparent member having, by its color or tint, the property of subduing the glare. Such member usually is mounted between the driver and the windshield of his vehicle; and should, for efilciency and convenience. be adjustable to have various postures, depending upon the disposition of the vehicle parts, and also upon the posture and propensity of the driver. Such adjustment also depends upon the location of the glare that is to be subdued; for instance, in day time, the device may be used to subdue the glare of the sunlight instead of to subdue the glare of approaching vehicle-lights at night.

Such devices or shields have been mounted in various ways upon the windshield, or upon the stationaryframe thereof, or other adjacent parts of the vehicle. vI disclose and claim in my copending application, Serial No. 420 995. filed November 29, 1941.;and now abandoned, a glare shield more readily adapted for mounting and use on light motor vehicles, such as passenger cars. My present invention is more adapted for mounting and use on heavy motor vehicles such as trucks, buses and the like. whereon the jars are more severe, so that a firmer mounting is required, yet provides for ready adjustment for the reasons above noted. The invention of my copending application just mentioned has a single mounting bracket, so that the mounting of the shield is not likely to meet with interference by parts of the vehicle equipment. On such heavier vehicles, however, I have found that a shield provided with more than one mounting bracket, for making it more resistant to the heavy jars of such vehicles, at least one of' the brackets, if the brackets are provided only for single locations, as in my prior Patent 'No. 1,546,739, issued July 2-1, 1925, in many cases encounters the above mentioned interference with a part of the motor vehicle.

Also, in my prior patent just mentioned, each mounting bracket connects to the shield member proper by means of a ratchet device, for adjust-- ment. In my'copending application above mentioned, theisinglebracket has the ratchet device;

but'the're being but one bracket and one ratchet devicefthe' invention' therein is a simplification dfithelinvention of-the patent; In the presentinvention, requiring two brackets, I have avoided the use of ratchet devices by employing a simple gripping device; so that my present invention is a simplification of my prior patent invention as well as an improvement over that of my copend ing application in its better adaptability for'use on vehicles where it incurs severe jars which a single bracket would not so successfully resist, where the bracket is connected to the vehicle In both the copending applicationand in the present case, the connection of the bracket part to the shield member proper, are substantially the same, as such connections in a pair are ample to hold the shield member'under the more severe jars of the heavier vehicles.

The objects of my invention therefore are to provide an especially efficient mounting for a glare shield member;' to permit such a mounting to 'be'adapted for connection to a vehicle without interference of vehicle parts; to maintain an ef-' ficient connection of the mounting to the shield member proper; and to provide a simplified structure for adjustment of posture of the shield; permitting a pair of mountings to be employed without unduly complicating and increasing the expense of production of the glare shield as a whole. I attain these objects by the device illus-' trated, for example, in the accompanying draw-- ing. in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forwardpart of a motor vehicle, understood 'to be truck or the like, as indicated by the vertical disposition of the glass or windshield front most frequently found on such vehicles;'

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the glare shield adjusted to its vertical position of the shield member shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, looking from the driver's position, of a part of the shield" member proper and one of the mountingdevic'e's or brackets, with. the rod that would connect to the other mounting or bracket broken-away;

Fig. 4 isa'partial front-'t'o-rear vertical section on the plane ofthe'line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a like section 'on the'plane of the line 55ofFig.3; Fig. -6 is a like section onthe plane of the line 6-6ofFi'g.3;and"

Fi '7 is a like sectionontheplane of the line I '!.T of Fig. 3f i In Fig; 1' is shown'a frontiragment'of the've-f hicle I, with its steering wheel '2' show'n in -its relation to one side part ofthe glass or wind shield front 3 o'fthevehicle, between which front 3 and the driver's position" at the. steering wheel:

2 is interposed the glare shield member proper 4, which will be understood to be of transparent material, preferably very clear plate glass. Such glass or other transparent shield member in practice is colored or tinted; the color or tint being such as to allow clear vision yet subdue the glare. A preferred color is a shade of blue that meets these requirements and also does not alter the traific light colors, usuall red, amber and green, as seen the driver through the shield member.

Attached to the upper edge of shield member 4 are ears 5 that extend upwardly and forwardly. Each car has its bottom formed with lateral extensions 6 with depending sides I forming. a continuous inverted-U or channel which strad- Fronr the dles the shield member upper-edge. top of the channel, as best seen in F gs...3 and. 6,. a slit 8 is formed, extending upwardly and throughout the length of the base of the. ear. 5...

limit the drawing of. the channel sides 1 toward.

each other so far as to make breakage of the shield memberliable, a strip of cushion material H is inserted in the slit 8 with screw 9- passing through it. Suchcushion mounting is described and claimed in my copending application above mentioned.

Extending from one ear 5 to:the other, parallel with the upper edge: of the shield member 4 and into the respective ears, is: a bar l'2, which for the major distance between ears 5 is of square cross section. Extending from the: ends of the square-portion of. bar l2 are respective cylindrical portions l3, concentric with the square portion, leaving shoulders around them at the ends of the square portion. Succeedingeach cylindrical portion l3 and concentric with it is a' reduced square portion l5. -Next' to the shoulder l4 at each. end, between. itand the respective ear 5 is a relatively thick washer l6, having a. circular opening; the earl: also having acircular opening, and these circular washer and ear openings receivingsnugly the cylindrical portion l3 of the bar I 2 at the respective end; A washer similar to the washer 6, except that it has a square opening, has this square opening receiving snugly.

outer sidesof:therespectivezsquarerholed washers Interposed between each one of these screw heads, of" the screws 29-, is a lock: washer 20" of suitable type, the one preferred beingbestindi-: cated. in the. dotted lines of: 7i, resembling an internal-toothed gear with the teeth 20- pressed out to. indentingly engage the adjacent side-of the, respective square-holed washer IT as. may be seen. in. Fig: 3.

A pair of" brackets 2|. are. provided forattach-- ment.t 1a,convenient.partrof the motor vehicle I.

As shown in Fig. 1 they are attached to the top rail of the glass or windshield front structure of the vehicle. Each bracket 2| has a base 22 with portions extending laterally from both sides of the bracket body, and being continuous with each other and preferably having a concave bottom 23 as best seen in Fig. 2. This bottom 23 will fit snugly the face of the upper rail 24 of the windshield structure 3 if this face is convex in cross section. It. may be variably positioned. around the concave" face so that the bracket extends at various angles as may be necessary due to parts of the vehicle adjacent to rail 24 and above the brackets. Or, if the rail 24 has ajlat face, the straight edges of the concave base 22 will fit such a face. This provision of a glare shield bracket. with a concave bottom also is disclosed and claimed in my before mentioned copending application. As shown, the brackets 2| are so shaped and so postured relative to their bases 22 that when the bases are secured to the vehicle part, as the rail 24 in Fig. 1, they slant rearwardly and downwardly. Their ear-shaped. rear' end parts have through them-respective square. holes 26; and their bases are secured to rail 24 by two. screws 25 ineach base 22. The square bar |r2-, before described, has its square middle major portion snugly fitting through the: square: holes 26 in the brackets 2|, which have respective set screws 21 to clamp a bracket 2|) anywhere along this major square. part of bar l2.

No obstructive part of the vehicle I is shown in Fig. l. and so the brackets 2| are showneach very close to a respective ear 5 and its associated parts before described; as most clearlyseen in- Fig. 3. Were there an obstructive part, so that either bracket 2|, or obstructive parts: so that neither bracket 21, could be located in the positions along the Windshield top rail 24 as 'seen in- Fig. 1, the obstructed bracket could be slidalon the square bar l2 to a position where it could set properly against rail 24'. This setting of course is done by loosening the set screws 21. of the brackets, loosening them from bar l2, then sliding the brackets to the permissible... locations" along the top rail 24, upon which the brackets- 2| may be attached to the rail 24' by the screws. 25 and the set screws 2! may be tightenedto hold. the square bar 2 at the desired location. in. which it can hold the glare shield member 4. in the proper working position before. the vehicle driver.

On the bottom edge of the glare shield. memher 4 is a small channel. member 28 straddling the edge and fitting tightly on the. shield mem-- her, to serve as a finger hold avoiding finger marks on the shield member 4. To set the shield member 4 at any desired inclination, either vertical as shown or swung rearwardly in its depend: ence from the bar l2 and. brackets 2|, the operator simply grasps the shield at the channel; member 28 andswings it. This. swingingis, re:-

sisted by the clamping pressure exerted: by the screws 20 at each end of bar |-2. on the washers:

and the interposed. discs l8- and [9; the screvw being set at the required tightness at each end.-

upon. installing the device as; above. described. The bar l2 cannotv turn: in. the brackets; and the shield proper swingsv on. the. cylindrical parts P3 of bar 2.. Outward. washer cannot turn on bar 12 as: it fits on. reduced. squarepart l5: ofbar l2. and forms. a. ncn-rotative body for grippingthe clamp screw 28 stationary; maintaining the friction. of the mountin due to the action.

lockwasher 2B With'itS teeth 20 against the outer side of washer l1.

It .is found that the combination with the screws 20 and the washers f6 and IT, with the interposed friction discs l8 and I9, with the screws 20 properly tightened, holds the windshield member 4 very firmly against the severe jars of the heavy vehicles for which the device is especially adapted. Of course, upon wear of the frictional parts, as the discs [8 and IS, the wear may be taken up and the firm holding renewed simply by tightening the clamp screws 29. These are preferably provided with kerfs in their heads as shown, to receive a screw-driver as a most convenient tool.

Of course such heads may be shaped for a wrench; and other parts may be subject to modi fications without departing from the scope of my invention which is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A combination including a glare shield memher, a plurality of ear elements fixed to said member. a corresponding plurality of bracket elements adapted to be fixed to a part of a vehicle, means pivotally connecting said ear elements to said bracket elements and comprising cylindrical portions, the ear elements having respective circular openings in which the cylindrical portions fit, and said pivotally connecting means comprising angular portions, clamping elements having respective angular openings in which said angular portions fit, and means for drawing said clamping elements into tight frictional holding relation to the respective ear elements, said pivotally connecting construction having an intermediate length of angular cross section and the brackets having respective openings angularly shaped, in which the intermediate length fits, thereby permitting adjustment of the bracket elements to various locations along said intermediate length accordingly as the bracket elements are to be attached to a vehicle .part at various locations thereon, but holding said intermediate part and the brackets relatively non-rotatable.

2. A combination including a glare shield memher, a plurality of car elements fixed to said member, a corresponding plurality of bracket elements adapted to be fixed to a part of a vehicle, means pivotally connecting said ear elements to said bracket elements and comprising cylindrical portions, the ear elements having respective circular openings in, which the cylindrical portions fit, and said pivotally connecting means for one of the cars, at least, comprising an angular portion, a clamping element havin an angular opening in which said angular portion fits, and mean for drawing said clamping element into tight.

frictional holding relation to the ear element, said pivotally connecting construction having an intermediate length of angular cross section and the brackets havin respective openings angularly shaped, in which the intermediate length fits, thereby permitting adjustment of the bracket elements to various locations along said intermediate length accordingly as the bracket elements are to be attached to a vehicle part at various locations thereon, but holding said intermediate part and the brackets relatively nonrotatable.

LESTER R. LE LANDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

